The Art of Painting
An easy-to-understand description of painting media and techniques for art students, self-learners, and art collectors.
Basic Terms
Paint is a fluid substance made of pigment suspended in a liquid binder that is used to cover or decorate a surface.
Painting is the process of applying paint to a surface using tools such as brushes, a roller, a painting knife, or a paint sprayer.
Medium or media(pl.) is the material and tools used to make a work of art.
Technique is the method and procedure used with an art medium.
Craftsmanship is the skill with which the media and techniques are employed.
Painting Media and Techniques
Acrylics
- Binder: acrylic polymer
- Vehicle (solvent): water
- Ground: prepared(gesso) or raw canvas, paper, wood, glass, etc.
- Drys fast/permanent
- Opaque/transluscent/transparent
- Versatile media - can mimic oil, tempera, and watercolor
Oils
- Binder: linseed oil
- Vehicle (solvent): turpentine, mineral spirits
- Ground: prepared canvas, paper, wood,
- Drys slow/permanent
- Opaque/transluscent/transparent
- Versatile media
Tempera
- Binder: gum arabic and water
- Vehicle (solvent): water
- Ground: paper, prepared wood panel
- Drys fast/water soluble
- opaque
- dry, matte surface
- Egg Tempera: egg yoke can be added to make it enamel-like and permanent
Watercolor
- Binder: gum arabic and water
- Vehicle (solvent): water
- Ground: paper
- Drys fast/water soluble
- transparent to transluscent
Painting Color Theory
Basic Color Concepts
- Hue - Primary/secondary/intermediate colors
- Value - Low/high key - Light/dark - Shades vs. tints
- Intensity - Chroma - Dull/Bright
- Transparent/transluscent/opaque
- Temperature - Warm/Cool
- Unifying Relationships - Monochomatic, Analogous
- Contrasting Relationships - Complementary, Polychromatic,
- Local/Arbitrary
- Juxtaposed colors - Pointillism/Divisionism
- Symbolic color
- Expressive color
- Texture - impasto/collage/trompe l'oeil
Featured Artists
Gary Freeman
Representational landscapes, acrylic on canvas
Andrew Wyeth
Egg tempera and watercolors
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